The three Siegel siblings went out for brunch today at a downtown joint called Hell’s Kitchen. Really good food with a tongue-in-cheek, kitschy ambiance. The walls are painted an infernal shade of red and the wait staff is dressed in pajamas to give the impression that they just rolled out of bed. I had a huge plate of Rosti potatoes that was excellent but I felt a little guilty because I never eat much at restaurants and I usually only make a small dent in my food. But at least I didn’t have to pick up the check this time because my brother and sister split the cost. I almost fainted from the shock.

My brother is visiting for a little while before he returns to Germany for his dissertation studies, so blogging will be light for the next few days. I haven’t seen him in a year and it will be good to catch up. .
I need to get back to Miami. This morning I woke up to a crisp autumn breeze…in mid-August. See, this is what we Minnesotans do. We complain about the weather. It’s either too hot or too cold. Too wet or too dry. We live in a constant state of mild dissatisfaction with our climate and we complain and moan because we are Midwesterners. If we didn’t have the weather as a source of conversation, we might start talking about the things that really bother us and then things might turn ugly.
Senator Kennedy’s name was on the Transportation Security Administration’s do-not-fly list. Ah, now we see what the feds perceive as the real threat to our security–liberal senators from Massachusetts. I feel so much safer.

It’s late, but tomorrow I’ll post pictures that the disability community had for Senator Max Cleland. He told me an amusing lawyer joke that apparently everyone has heard but me. Anyway, off to bed.

I took a second look at the Edwards pictures after one of you complimented my moustache. I really must check myself in the mirror more often. Facial hair of any kind bugs the hell out of me. A couple years ago, I had the chicken pox and I couldn’t shave for three or four weeks. It was awful. I looked like a yeshiva school dropout. My problem is that my five o’clock shadow is more like a three o’clock shadow. Note to self: start carrying a razor with you for those evening engagements.
NPR has a story about a summer camp for kids with Asperger’s Syndrome. Asperger’s is a mild form of autism that is usually characterized by high intelligence and a minimal ability to recognize social cues. The camp is supposed to teach these kids how to socialize and “fit in.” Listening to this, I started wondering if this was a subtle effort at encouraging conformity to a set of social norms, whatever those are. I can sympathize with a parent’s desire to have their kids spared the teasing and ostracism that frequently accompanies being “different.” Yet I don’t necessarily think we should discourage these kids from expressing their true personalities, either. A lot of Asperger’s kids grow up to be brilliant thinkers with unique insights on the world around them. We should be nurturing that kind of growth and reminding these that while it’s important to recognize the thoughts and feelings of others, it’s also okay to be a little different.

One of the points Edwards made in his speech last night was how the Bush tax cuts have favored the nation’s wealthy. I expect this to be a major issue in the debates. One article I read presented the following scenario: Bush’s tax cuts have benefited a lot of wealthy Democrats, enabling them to contribute more money to Kerry and left-leaning 527s. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Bush’s tax cuts indirectly contributed to his own defeat?
I got home last night in time to watch Katie Couric and Bob Costas jabber over Björk’s entire performance at the Olympic opening ceremonies. Philistines. I wish there was a channel where you could watch the Games without any inane narration.